DHS cools off Clifton, Kearsney spinners shine against Westville Boys’ High
At the coast, in Durban, Durban High School (DHS) and Clifton College were able to fit in a 40-overs-a-side match on Saturday.
Further inland, in Botha’s Hill, mist and gentle rain curtailed the limited overs clash between neighbours, Kearsney College and Westville Boys’ High, but not before some outstanding performances lit up the contest.
Durban High School vs Clifton College
Clifton College made a short trip to Durban High School for a showdown on the Theobald Oval, and when the toss went the visitors’ way, they opted to bowl first.
They picked up an early wicket when Daniel Rea trapped Suliman Jadwat LBW, but that brought the established duo of Ismaeel Omar and Josh van Biljon together, and they, as they have so often done, joined forces to deliver a big partnership. It took them 154 balls, but they added 110 for the second wicket.
Eventually, Clifton captain Shiraz Perumal brought the stand to an end when he had Omar caught by Keegan Watson. The left-handed opener’s 72 from 98 balls included five fours and two sixes.
Van Biljon followed 14 runs later, the third man out with the total on 132 in the 32nd over. His contribution was a patient 43 from 72 balls, which included only two fours.
Taine Havermann and Bonga Maphanga, who had smashed DHS to a thrilling win over Kearsney College in a W100 clash on Wednesday, then combined to accelerate the scoring rate, advancing the total by 64 runs from only 46 balls.
Maphanga, the fifth man to the crease, bashed three fours and a six in a rapid 30 off 21 balls before becoming Daniel Rea’s second victim. Havermann went on to finish with 48 not out from 42. His knock featured five fours and a six.
After 40 overs, School had posted 208/5. On the Theobald Oval, a victory target of 209 would be a stiff challenge.
Rea finished with 2/49 from eight overs, while Perumal slowed the DHS run scoring by snaring 1/25 from eight.
In reply, Clifton held the DHS attack at bay through the first five overs, but two wickets went down in the space of three balls in the sixth. Taine Havermann and Josh van Biljon ran out Matthias Samuel for four before Josh Morley caught Daniyaal Klinck LBW.
Yusuf Ahmed and Muhammed Malek steadied the Clifton innings with a 55-run third-wicket partnership before Bonga Maphanga ended it by having Ahmed caught by Ismaeel Omar for 36. That was the start of a mini-collapse, with Clifton going from a comfortable 70/2 to 75/5 in just over three overs. Malek was the fifth man out after scoring 22.
When Tristan Quail accounted for Daniel Rea, Clifton was in trouble on 93/6, but captain Shiraz Perumal went on the counterattack, finding the boundary often. Unfortunately for him, his partners continued to come and go.
In the last of their 40 overs, the Clifton skipper was the last man out, caught by Josh Morley off Matt Potgieter for a fighting 60 from only 50 deliveries, 10 of which he sent to the boundary. Clifton was dismissed for 159, leaving DHS with a 49-run win.
The wickets were shared around the DHS attack, with six of the seven bowlers used removing at least one batsman. Maphanga bagged 2/21 from six overs, Potgieter claimed 2/18 in 3.1, and Quail took 2/34 from six.
Kearsney College vs Westville Boys’ High
Mist and rain set in over the lush AH Smith Oval at Kearsney College on Saturday afternoon to prevent the hosts from chasing down Westville Boys’ High’s 138 all out.
Westville skipper Kyle McGough chose to bat first, but overnight rain offered Kearsney’s spinners some grip from the pitch, and they did a good job of exploiting that.
At first, Westville’s innings progressed steadily. After Aidan Baudach was out for 15, McGough and Ewan du Toit added 39 for the second wicket before Gary Verbaan caught the captain off James Bishop for 26.
Du Toit and Jay-Reece Madatt took the total to 83 before Du Toit was caught and bowled by Rivaan Moodley for the innings’ top score of 32.
From there, the orthodox leg spin of Moodley and the left-arm leg spin of Matthew Gorrie wrought havoc on the visitors’ batting. In just over six overs, they lost six wickets for only 11 runs. Gorrie, especially, tied the batsmen down. At the same time, he kept grabbing wickets.
A 27-run eighth-wicket stand between Madatt and Liam de Villiers, who made 23, took Westville past 100, and they scraped and clawed their way to 138 before Ashton Kidgell was the last man out, a third victim of Moodley.
He finished with 3/35 from 7.3 overs. Gorrie, meanwhile, stole the show, snaring 5/23 from 10 overs. Litha Gonya added a tidy 1/21 from seven.
Moodley then turned his hand to batting, opening the Kearsney innings with Gary Verbaan. He played confidently, and together they put on 31 runs for the first wicket before Verbaan was caught off Tristin Delvin‘s left-arm spin for eight.
Aaron Blackburn and Moodley added another 39 runs, but Kai Cotton ended their stand when he ran out Blackburn for 17.
Just one over later, the match was abandoned with Kearsney on 72/2, still needing 67 to win, with Rivaan Moodley unbeaten on 39 from 77 balls.
Delvin, the only bowler to pick up a wicket, took 1/16 from four overs.
Summarised Scorecards
Durban High School 208/5 (Ismaeel Omar 72, Taine Havermann 48*, Josh van Biljon 43, Bonga Maphanga 30; Daniel Rea 2/49); Clifton College 159/10 (Shiraz Perumal 60, Yusuf Ahmed 36, Muhammed Malek 22; Matt Potgieter 2/18, Bonga Maphanga 2/21, Tristan Quail 2/34). DHS won by 49 runs.
Westville Boys’ High 138/10 (Ewan du Toit 32, Kyle McGough 26, Liam de Villiers 23; Matthew Gorrie 5/23, Rivaan Moodley 3/35); Kearsney College 72/2 (Rivaan Moodley 39*; Tristin Delvin 1/16). Match abandoned.
